Bribery: Judge sued by ICPC bags 3 years jail

For demanding a bribe of N100, 000 from a litigant for the purpose of giving him favourable judgment, a Chief Magistrate, Mohammed Balogun, who was due for promotion, has been sentenced to three years imprisonment by an Abuja High Court, thereby forfeiting his elevation. Balogun was charged before Justice Ishaq Bello by the Independent Corrupt […]

For demanding a bribe of N100, 000 from a litigant for the purpose of giving him favourable judgment, a Chief Magistrate, Mohammed Balogun, who was due for promotion, has been sentenced to three years imprisonment by an Abuja High Court, thereby forfeiting his elevation.

Balogun was charged before Justice Ishaq Bello by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), on a two-count charge bordering on demanding and receiving bribe from a litigant in his court, Dr. Isidore Nnadi. 

The convict was arrested after collecting the sum of N50, 000 as gratification from the litigant, following a sting operation by ICPC.

The Commission, in the charge sheet, maintained that the actions of the convicted magistrate violated Section 8 (a) (ii) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and was punishable under the same section.  

Justice Bello, before handing down the sentence lamented that the actions of the convict had brought shame to the judiciary, adding that his sentencing was a clear signal to others that the on-going reforms in the judiciary would not spare any corrupt judge.

Bello said: “You are a Chief Magistrate with great responsibility to provide justice to others, but you have let yourself and the entire judiciary down. In fact, it was the same week you were meant to be elevated to the position of a judge that you committed the crime thereby stopping your promotion. 

‘Your plea for leniency would not hold water because you deserve an appropriate sentence to send a message to the general public that the judiciary will not condone corruption even among top judicial officers.”

Bello then sentenced him to three years imprisonment with an option of fine of N500, 000.